T-ARENA

The open concourse was made possible in part because of the arena’s “split bowl” seating arrangement, in which an upper bowl overhangs a lower bowl. “You’re right on top of the action,” General Manager Mike Cara said. “It’s a really neat design.”

Speaking of action, there will be plenty of it, with UNO hockey, basketball and volleyball on the schedule. The arena was designed with enough flexibility to accommodate those sports, plus concerts, commencements and other special events.

When sports seasons overlap — such as during hockey and basketball season — the arena will undergo a transformation.

“It can be a relatively quick change from hockey to basketball or volleyball,” said Omaha architect Bruce Carpenter, senior vice president of HDR and project principal for the arena.